This project started with something I couldn’t ignore: the glaring absence of women as raft guides on the Ganga River in India. For years, I’ve guided trips blending my Ayurvedic practice with rafting excursions on this sacred river. Each trip brought me joy and inspiration, but one thing became painfully clear—despite the bustling rafting industry on the Ganga, not a single guide was a woman. I felt strongly that it was time to change that, and I believed we could help open the door.
I reached out to my longtime river sisters, Elisha McArthur and Julie Sutton, who immediately saw the potential and were eager to join the effort. Together, we partnered with Red Chili Adventures, a Rishikesh-based outfitter I’ve worked with for years. With their support and the backing of organizations like yours, we launched NariNauka—“WomanBoat” in Hindi—India’s first women’s whitewater guide training program.
The winter of 2023-24 was a whirlwind of preparation. We reached out to organizations for grants, secured sponsors for gear, rallied donors for funding, and pieced together everything these women would need to succeed. By March 2024, the three of us were on a plane to India, our bags packed with life jackets, throw bags, river shoes, and clothing for the trainees.
Our cohort of fourteen women was nothing short of inspiring. They ranged in age from 18 to 39, with backgrounds as varied as single motherhood, Himalayan mountain guiding, and even professional kayaking. Some were seasoned on the water; others couldn’t swim. But what united them was their shared dream of becoming whitewater raft guides—a role only one Indian woman had ever occupied: the infamous Sarita (one of our trainees’ older sisters!).
Over the course of the training, we encountered challenges we expected and some we didn’t. What surprised me most was the deeply ingrained belief, even among the women themselves, that guiding rafts wasn’t something women could do. This wasn’t overt opposition but a quiet, cultural narrative that had gone unchallenged. Our task was not just to train these women physically but to empower them to believe in their own abilities.
One moment encapsulated the significance of this program. As we launched onto the Ganga at Devprayag—the sacred confluence where two rivers merge to form Ma Ganga—one of the women, Naina, a highly decorated pro-kayaker, sat in Elisha’s oar boat. She turned to her and exclaimed, “Oh my God! I can’t believe I’m in a raft being guided by a GIRL!” Minutes later, she handed her the oars. As she felt the current and gained confidence, she shouted again, this time with even more awe: “Oh my God! I’M guiding a raft right now!” Seeing her realization unfold was unforgettable.
The program also involved breaking down physical barriers. One of the most challenging exercises was learning to flip and recover rafts—a task traditionally modeled around male physiology. Knowing this, we taught alternative techniques and equipped the rafts with aids to help. At first, the women hesitated, held back by years of hearing they “couldn’t.” But with encouragement and persistence, they began to try—and they succeeded. One by one, they climbed back into the rafts, proving to themselves that they were far more capable than they’d been led to believe.
This effort wouldn’t have been possible without the support of local allies like Sahdev Rana, Red Chili’s lead guide, who provided valuable on-water support as well as insight. He shared that adventure sports are still relatively new in India, and even for men, embracing physical careers in this space is a challenge. Hearing his perspective deepened our appreciation for the societal and cultural hurdles these women were overcoming. We are also deeply grateful to Red Chili Adventures for believing in this program, in these incredible women, and in us, and for their unwavering support every step of the way.
By the end of the training, these fourteen women had not only mastered the technical skills of guiding but had also shattered the barriers of what was believed possible. They became pioneers, ready to lead on one of the most sacred rivers in the world.
This project was truly a collective effort. It came to life because of the collaboration and generosity of so many individuals, organizations, and funders like you. It was a privilege to see these women step into a role they’d never imagined for themselves and to know we were part of something transformational. Thank you for believing in this vision and helping us open the door. Together, we’ve made history.
By Jeremy Anderson |
Jeremy Anderson and the NariNauka project was a 2024 RFC grant recipient.
